Up Next for Florida Panthers: Old pals Tampa Bay Lightning

A couple of minutes after the Florida Panthers completed off the Washington Capitals in additional time in Friday night time, Sasha Barkov stated his group would benefit from the sequence win.

“It feels nice,’’ Barkov stated, “however there may be lots of work to do. We’ll take pleasure in this and get again to work tomorrow — or, every time.”

Based mostly on some Instagram photos snapped on and round Fort Lauderdale, it seems the Panthers loved their Saturday much more than the Capitals did.

With a time without work upon arriving again in South Florida within the wee hours of Saturday morning, the Panthers had loads of time to sit back and take a look at their subsequent opponent.

On Saturday night time, the Tampa Bay Lightning had been fueled by a incredible efficiency from Andrei Vasilevskiy as they knocked out the host Maple Leafs 2-1 in Recreation 7.

Friday night time, plenty of gamers had been requested who they might relatively play: The Lightning or the Leafs.

As anticipated, the Panthers didn’t have an opinion a technique or one other.

A minimum of not one they wished to share publicly.

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”On the finish of the day, we don’t actually care who we’re taking part in,” Jonathan Huberdeau stated. “If I’m watching TV. I’ll watch. It’s two good groups, our division was good this yr. Whether it is Tampa, nice rivalry. … It doesn’t actually matter to us.”

“It is going to be a big-time problem, a unique type of sequence,’’ added Andrew Brunette. “I feel, proper now, we’ll simply take pleasure in what we completed, rejoice a little bit bit and luxuriate in it. This was a tough accomplishment. Typically, in life, you don’t rejoice the great instances. Let’s take pleasure in this — and in six hours I’ll be eager about what’s subsequent. In all probability one other sleepless night time.”

The Panthers had success in opposition to each groups within the common season — but when any group is aware of this can be a new season now, it’s Florida.

The Capitals gave the Panthers a stronger battle than many had thought though there have been just a few on the market who picked the veteran-laden group to tug the upset.

Getting out of the primary spherical for the primary time since 1996 was an enormous step for a Florida group which ended the common season atop the NHL standings which earned them dwelling ice all through the postseason.

At instances in opposition to the Capitals, it didn’t seem the Panthers had been going to have the ability to make the most of that.

Florida held dwelling ice within the opening spherical in opposition to the Lightning final yr and it didn’t imply a lot after Tampa Bay took the primary two video games of the sequence in Dawn.

When Florida got here again for Recreation 5, it was down 3-1 and known as on rookie Spencer Knight to attempt to assist get again within the sequence.

He did what they hoped he would, however Florida misplaced Recreation 6 in Tampa and that was that as the primary Sunshine State playoff sequence ended with the Panthers coming dwelling.

The 2 groups break up their 4 video games this season — however three of these had been performed earlier than New Years.

No NHL groups performed as a lot as Florida and Tampa Bay did in 2021, between the preseason, 11 common season video games and a six-game playoff sequence, than these two.

Florida will get an opportunity to not solely redeem final yr’s playoff loss, however finish the Lightning’s Stanley Cup championship run.

The Bolts are going for a three-peat.

Somebody name Pat Riley.

NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS 

PANTHERS V. LIGHTNING

• Recreation 1: TBA
• The place: FLA Reside Area, Dawn   
• TV/Streaming: Nationwide TV TBA (ESPN or TNT/TBS)
• Radio: WQAM 560 (Miami/Fort Lauderdale); WMEN 640 (Palm Seashore); WCTH 100.3 (Florida Keys); SiriusXM 
• Tickets: CLICK HERE
• Full schedule: TBA

PANTHERS V. LIGHTNING

• Common season sequence — Tied 2-2: Florida 4, @Lightning 1 (Oct. 19); @Lightning 3, Florida 2 OT (Nov. 13); @Florida 9, Lightning 3 (Dec 30); Tampa Bay 8, @Florida 4 (April 24).
• All-time common season sequence: Panthers lead 73-49-18, 10 ties
• Playoff historical past: Second assembly; Tampa Bay d. Florida 4-2 in R1, 2021
• Spherical 1 — Florida d. Washington 4-2 — Recreation 1: Washington 4, @Florida 2; Recreation 2: @Florida 5, Washington 1; Recreation 3: @Washington 6, Florida 1; Recreation 4: Florida 3, @Washington 2 (OT); Recreation 5: @Florida 5, Washington 3; Recreation 6: Florida 4, Washington 3 (OT).
• Spherical 1 — Tampa Bay d. Toronto 4-3